Liverpool set to BLOCK Alisson, Fabinho, Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota joining-up with their nations next month… with Brazil and Portugal on UK’s coronavirus ‘red list’
- FIFA are now allowing clubs to stop players joining-up with their national teams
- The rule has come in to avoid players needing to quarantine upon their return
- Brazil and Portugal are on the UK’s ‘red list’ requiring 10 days isolation
- Liverpool are among clubs set to take advantage, with Man United monitoring
Liverpool are among the sides planning to keep hold of their South American stars in the brewing club-v-country row ahead of next month’s international break.
FIFA have announced that clubs will now be able to stop players from travelling to represent their national sides if it will require them to quarantine when they get back.
Countries in South America and Africa, as well as Portugal, are on the UK Government’s ‘red list’, which requires travellers to isolate in a hotel for 10 days upon their return.
Liverpool are to stop their stars from nations on the UK’s ‘red list’ from going on national duty
Roberto Firmino, Alisson and Fabinho will all be stopped from travelling for Brazil’s games
This would have meant the likes of Gabriel Jesus, Roberto Firmino and Bruno Fernandes missing Premier League matches. However, FIFA’s decision now means that Brazil and Argentina are likely to be without some of their top talent for World Cup qualifiers.
The Mail on Sunday understands that Liverpool will take up the chance to keep their trio of Alisson, Fabinho and Firmino if they are called up by Brazil next month as well as Portugal’s Diogo Jota. It comes after this paper revealed that Brazil and Argentina were set to call up all of their Premier League stars for next month’s internationals.
United are monitoring the situation regarding FIFA’s rules when it comes Fernandes as Portugal host Azerbaijan before travelling to Serbia and Luxembourg.
If players do travel to South America to play, they would miss two rounds of Premier League action (April 3 and April 10) as well as the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final on April 6-7 and they would also be doubts for the return on April 13-14.
Manchester United are weighing-up the situation, which could see them lose Bruno Fernandes
Losing his Brazilian stars and Diogo Jota would be a disaster for Jurgen Klopp at this point
Manchester United face Tottenham, Manchester City go to Leicester and Liverpool face Arsenal across those two Premier League weekends. Meanwhile, Liverpool could be forced to play their Champions League round of 16 tie against Leipzig at Tottenham’s stadium.
Liverpool cannot enter Germany after the UK was placed on a banned list due the new strain of the coronavirus with the two sides due to play on February 16.
However, it is the host’s responsibility to find a venue and UEFA rules stipulate that should the hosts be unable to facilitate a fixture they would be reprimanded with a 3-0 loss.
Germany’s Federal Police rejected an application for Liverpool to be granted a special permit to enter the country. Klopp said that he thought it would have been ‘absolutely appropriate to make an exception’.